A high-performance photovoltaic concentrator array: The mini-dome Fresnel lens concentrator with 30% efficient GaAs/GaSb tandem cells

Author

Piszczor, M.F. ; Brinker, D.J. ; Flood, D.J. ; Avery, J.E. ; Fraas, L.M. ; Fairbanks, E.S. ; Yerkes, J.W. ; O´Neil, M.J.

Author_Institution

NASA Lewis Res. Center, Cleveland, OH, USA

fYear

1991

fDate

7-11 Oct 1991

Firstpage

1485

Abstract

A high-efficiency, lightweight space photovoltaic concentrator array is described. Previous work on the mini dome Fresnel lens concentrator concept is being integrated with Boeing´s 30% efficient tandem GaAs/GaSb concentrator cells into a high-performance photovoltaic array. Calculations indicate that, in the near term, such an array can achieve 300 W/m² at a specific power of 100 W/kg. Emphasis of the program has now shifted to integrating the concentrator lens, tandem cell, and supporting panel structure into a space-qualifiable array. A description is presented of the current status of component and prototype panel testing and the development of a flight panel for the Photovoltaic Array Space Power Plus Diagnostics (PASP PLUS) flight experiment

Keywords

III-V semiconductors; gallium arsenide; gallium compounds; lenses; solar cell arrays; solar energy concentrators; space vehicle power plants; 30 percent; Boeing; GaAs-GaSb tandem solar cell; Photovoltaic Array Space Power Plus Diagnostics; high-performance; mini-dome Fresnel lens concentrator; photovoltaic concentrator array; testing; Gallium arsenide; Hardware; III-V semiconductor materials; Lenses; NASA; Photovoltaic systems; Protection; Prototypes; Semiconductor materials; Solar power generation;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1991., Conference Record of the Twenty Second IEEE

Conference_Location

Las Vegas, NV

Print_ISBN

0-87942-636-5

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1991.169451

Filename

169451